Posts Tagged ‘Double Double streak’

March 14, 2011 · 8:11 AM ET

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — Wilt Chamberlain‘s record of 227 straight double-doubles is safe for now.

All-Star Kevin Love was 53-games into his chase of Chamberlain’s record when it all came crashing down Sunday in Oakland. Love managed just six points and 12 rebounds in the Timberwolves’ blowout loss to the Warriors, a team he lit up for 37 points and 23 rebounds the last time he saw them (late last month).

To their credit, the Warriors (and specifically David Lee) were not about to watch Love abuse them again. And they took whatever precautions necessary to make sure that Love didn’t burn them again. They beat the brakes off of the Timberwolves, and not even a monster night from Love could have saved them.

Love’s streak took on a life of its own the past few months. He passed Moses Malone for the league’s longest streak since the 1976 ABA/NBA merger last week, and that milestone came complete with tributes (here and elsewhere) for a job well done.

“Now I can just focus on playing my game,” he said. “I was still doing it for myself, but a lot of it was for fans and everybody who wanted to watch me get those double doubles. I feel pretty happy with what I did. I don’t think we should look at it as the streak came to an end.

“It’s time to reflect on what I did and how I continue to prosper in this league.”

Love deserves his props for the accomplishment. Praise is due for Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis, who did the right thing by taking Love out and not letting him chase the record and pile up hollow numbers in a blowout loss.

We’re curious now to see what kind of streak Love can put together now. Let’s see if he can top his own mark of 53 straight between now and whenever he could make that happen next season.

March 10, 2011 · 2:31 PM ET

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — Some of these “so-called” basketball purists have been scolding us all season here at the hideout for celebrating Kevin Love‘s double-double work, arguing that it doesn’t mean as much since he’s doing it on a losing team.

We can agree to disagree with these self-proclaimed protectors of the game on this one and rest in the fact that anything that hasn’t happened in three decades that doesn’t involve a comet or some sort of natural disaster deserves every right to be celebrated.

Love’s 52nd double-double — he got his 16 points and 21 rebounds last night without setting foot on the court in the fourth quarter against the Pacers — not only gave him the longest such streak since Moses Malone‘s 51 game stretch over two seasons (1978-80), but the Timberwolves also picked up a rare win.

This idea that Love is chasing a record and not wins is beyond preposterous. If you’ve spent five seconds listening to what he has to say, you’d know that Love would trade all of the numbers and attention he’s received for his work this season for a winning situation. He’s won big his entire basketball career until now, so that DNA doesn’t change.

The drive, focus and energy it took for Malone to score all those points and grab all those rebounds in his day is the same it takes for Love to do it now. And that drive, focus and effort is required whether you are winning or losing, as Love has surely found out the hard way this season while chasing wins more than anything else.

In fact, it’s clear that Love has learned a little something from the many that came before him. And at least one of them seems genuinely impressed with Love’s body of work this season.

“When I played, I wasn’t thinking about setting records, I just wanted to win,” Malone said. “But I am really happy for Kevin, he’s doing a great job…playing hard, getting rebounds, scoring…doing what a big guy should do. I think it’s great the kind of numbers he is putting up, and I wish the young man the best of luck.”